


Love Run

by JessTalksAlot



Series: The Lavellan Siblings [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fade to Black, Fluff and Angst, Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mage Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Novelization, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, POV Inquisitor (Dragon Age), POV Solas (Dragon Age), POV Third Person Limited, Plot Non-Divergent, Slow To Update, Solas (Dragon Age) is Grim and Fatalistic, Solavellan Hell, Tags May Change, Title from a The Amazing Devil Song
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28199640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessTalksAlot/pseuds/JessTalksAlot
Summary: Clan Lavellan sends their First, Paya, to spy on the Divine Conclave but things go awry and she is left marked while the sky is torn open.  She is thrust into chaos but finds a saving grace amongst friends, especially when her younger brother joins them.  She also finds herself growing attached to a certain Apostate and eventually seeks out his affection...
Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas, Male Inquisitor/Iron Bull, Male Inquisitor/Iron Bull/Dorian Pavus, The Iron Bull/Lavellan (Dragon Age)
Series: The Lavellan Siblings [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1992487
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. And I Can Smell the Smoke of Hell

**Author's Note:**

> This is a novelization of Dragon Age: Inquisition but I've put in a but I changed a few things so it didn't look like I copied the homework off of someone else.
> 
> The fic will eventually focus on a Solavellan romance but will also have a Bullavellen romance in there too.
> 
> Thanks for checking out! I hope you enjoy the read!

_He watched over the elven woman for many hours. She slept restlessly as the mark on her hand threatened her life. It may have been a kindness to put her out of her misery, but if he were correct, the mark would be needed to set back the mistakes that had been made of late. Seeker Pentaghast occasionally came in to assert her dominance over the situation. His life was in the Seeker’s hands as much as this elven woman’s hands were within his at this moment. He thought it regretful when the Seeker decided to send him ahead with the dwarven Master Tethras as the situation outside worsened. He sensed that the unconscious elven woman was close to waking and he was sorely disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to observe her further._

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Paya had little recollection of what happened. She remembered a feeling of fear and a sense of guilt. She remembered stepping out to an obliterated field and passing out immediately.

What finally woke her was a sudden pain that engulfed her entire body. It felt as though a rod of fire had been pushed into her left palm and through her arm as the pain seared from there, to her elbow. She couldn’t help but vocalize her pain with a hiss and a groan. A green light lit up from her palm, audibly crackling like a surge of electricity. She would have acted more but she found her wrists bound in shackles. The four swords aimed at her head were good motivation to keep still as well. 

Suddenly, the door to the cell was kicked open and a pair of women entered. One had short dark hair and wore simple armor. Her breastplate had a design resembling that of an eye on it, the underlying lashes extending down toward her belt. She also had a noticeable scar on the left side of her jaw. The other woman wore purple-dyed leather and a cowl. She had the same eye on a small buckle just under her neck.

The dark-haired woman leaned down toward Paya, glaring at her menacingly. “Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t kill you now. The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead!” she spoke angrily, almost sounding heartbroken, before the anger returned. “Except for you.”

Paya’s voice was hoarse as she spoke, raw as though from screaming, “What… what do you mean everyone’s dead..?” She scrubbed her brain for memories, only able to recall her brother asking her to bring him along; a tinge of fear struck her chest. The dark-haired woman pulled her from her mind when she forcefully grabbed Paya’s wrist, pulling it upwards as green light sparked forth from it again, pain firing through her wrist.

“Explain this,” she spat before throwing the wrist down again.

Wincing away the pain, Paya watched the women as they paced around her. “I can’t... I--”

“You’re lying!” The dark-haired woman lunged and grabbed onto the collar of Paya’s jacket, but was quickly pulled away by the woman with the cowl.

“We need her Cassandra!” she cried, moving between them and gesturing her to back off.

Paya slowly brought her head down, her mind going back to her brother. “All of those people...dead..?”

The one in leathers spoke softer to Paya, “Do you remember what happened..?”

“There was running... I think I was being… chased...and there was… a woman?”

“There was a woman..?”

“I tried to reach out to her...but then…”

The dark-haired woman, Cassandra, seemed to have calmed down and gestured for the one in leathers to leave. “Go to the forward camp, Leliana… I’ll take this one to the rift.”

As the woman in leathers, Leliana, left Cassandra approached and unchained the elf. She spoke with a more level-headed tone, “It might be easier to explain what is happening if I show you…”

Cassandra guided Paya out of the cell and then outside. Her wrists were still bound but she was happy to be moving around nonetheless. They appeared to be in a small, snow-covered village. The air was cold and thick with what felt like magic. All capped off with the angry glow of a large opening in the heavens. It looked like a raging storm, emitting green light and distorting the space around it. Cassandra began to explain it, “We call it ‘The Breach.’ It’s a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour,” she turned toward Paya, continuing, “It’s not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave. It is growing and if we don’t stop it, it could swallow the world completely.” The breach pulsed, a flash of green acing, and in sync with the pulse, the pain in Paya’s arm reappeared and knocked her to the ground, where she began to curl into herself. Cassandra came to her side and spoke gently, “Each time the Breach expands, this mark on your hand does too. It is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this but there isn’t much time.”

Paya furrowed her brow a bit, “What do you mean it may be the key…?”

“It may be able to close the Breach,” Cassandra replied, “We will find out if that is true soon. It’s our only chance, however, as well as yours.”

Paya looked toward the Breach for a moment then returned her gaze back to Cassandra’s. “If I can help, then I will.”

Cassandra’s brows lifted a bit in surprise and then moved to remove Paya’s bindings. She pulled her to her feet and began to lead her through the village. “Then we must be on our way.”

The pair left through the village and Cassandra explained more of the situation as onlookers glared at the elf, Paya.

“The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now they are dead. The people of Haven think you guilty of this.”

She glanced toward Paya as they walked. “You will have a trial but I can promise nothing else. Come. “

“Where are we going, exactly?”

“We need to test that mark on a smaller rift.”

The women moved onward. Cassandra led Paya out of the village and toward a bridge where several corpses were being prayed over. They passed through the bridge’s gate, Cassandra briefly giving commands to soldiers they passed. They passed a few of the hopeless as well as a few burning corpses, where Paya had to stop as her arm flared up in pain. Cassandra paused for her and spoke patiently, “The pulses are coming faster now. The larger the breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face.” They didn’t linger, pushing on toward another bridge. They spoke as they walked. 

Paya, not sure really what to think, asked, “How did I survive this…?”

Cassandra replied, “They said you… stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was. Everything farther in the valley was laid waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes,” she paused, “...I suppose you’ll see soon enough.”

They made their way to the second gate but were stopped when the sky shot down a green blast of energy at them. It destroyed the structure underfoot and they fell to the frozen river beneath. 

Dizzied a bit, neither woman could pause to recollect themselves, as with the destruction of the bridge came a few demons in the form of shades--shadowy forms that rose to at least a foot above Cassandra’s head. Cassandra commanded Paya to stay put as she drew her own sword and ran at the shades to attack them. Paya watched for a moment before another shade appeared, about to flank Cassandra. She put her head on a swivel, looking for a way to help when she saw a stray staff that had fallen when the bridge was destroyed. She swept up the staff and shot out a blast of cold energy, using the staff as a focus, at the demon behind Cassandra.

Cassandra dealt with the first few shades and turned to see Paya felling the other one. Quickly and instinctually she moved over toward Paya. “Drop your weapon!”

Paya lifted her free hand in surrender, slowly lowering herself to sit the staff down, “Okay… I’m putting it down right here.”

Cassandra visibly relaxed at this response, “No… I cannot protect you at all times. You should be able to defend yourself...I should remember that you chose to come willingly…” she said gently before sheathing her weapon and beginning toward a path that would gradually lead them back onto the main path.

Paya spoke once again. “Shouldn’t there be more soldiers around…?”

“They are at the forward camp or fighting. We are alone for now.”

They continued onward, fighting a few demons--shades and wraiths primarily-- here and there before they neared another bridge. “I hear fighting…” Paya noted.

“We are getting close to a Rift,” Cassandra responded. They moved forward and found a couple of soldiers fighting shade demons. A few feet above the ground, above where they were fighting, was a mass of green, pulsating energy. Amongst them were two figures not dressed like soldiers: a dwarf wielding a hefty crossbow and a bald elf, waving a staff around, fighting the demons off with magic.

Before she could think, Paya ran to help. She and the tall elf made brief eye contact before she turned her back toward him to strike a demon with the end of her staff, chilling it as the dwarf shot through it, causing the fiend to vanish.

After the final demon was dealt with, the elf reached for Paya, “Quickly! Before more come through!” He grabbed her wrist and aimed the mark on her hand at the Rift. A powerful magic energy shot out of Paya’s palm and toward the Rift. It seemed to explode, and as it did it vanished into nothingness.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

_He moved without thinking when he grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward himself and then pushing the light of the mark toward the Rift. In just a moment, the Rift was closed and the snow started to settle._

_He released her wrist and watched her examine it. The glow had faded, now isolated to a faint scar that ducked beneath her sleeve. She studied her palm for a moment before looking at him. “What did you do..?”_

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The elf gestured toward her, “I did nothing. The credit is yours.” She looked back at her palm, gently running her thumb over it. The elf began to explain, “Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach’s wake--” he gave her a rather pleased smile, “and it seems I was correct.”

Cassandra stepped forward, having caught up, “Meaning it could close the Breach itself?”

“Possibly,” he replied before turning toward Paya. “It appears you hold the key to our salvation.

The dwarf put the crossbow he wielded onto his back before sauntering toward the pair of elves. “Good to know! Here I thought we’d be ass-deep in demons forever!” he exclaimed with a sarcastic disappointment. He gave a brief nod to Paya when she made eye contact with him. “Varric Tethras:,” he introduced, “Rogue, storyteller, and occasionally,” he gave a cheeky grin to Cassandra, “unwelcome tagalong,” he finished with a wink to which she responded with an exasperated groan.

Paya studied the dwarf for a moment. His clothing was a bit worse for wear but it still seemed higher quality than your typical traveling merchant. It certainly wasn’t what she had seen dwarves wearing before. She noted the red of the fabric and compared it to the chantry robes she had seen.

She briefly scanned her eyes over his exposed chest, a bit surprised at the chest hair on display, and then all the way back to his eyes. “You… aren’t part of the Chantry, are you?”

The bald elf chuckled. “That isn’t a serious question is it?”

Varric gave a slight shrug. “Well, technically I’m a prisoner. Not unlike you.”

Cassandra gave a brief huff. “I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine,” she said before her eyes saddened a hint. “Clearly that is no longer necessary.”

Varric continued to grin at Cassandra, “Yet here I am. Lucky for you, considering current events.”

Paya gave a brief nod before looking toward Cassandra, “Alright, where are we going now..?” she absentmindedly flexed her marked hand a few times, “The rift here is closed.”

Cassandra responded, “We will be going to the forward camp, to meet with Leliana.”

“Great! We can all go together!” Varric cheered, though the tone was still dripping in sarcasm.

Cassandra scowled, shaking her head, “Absolutely not. Your help is appreciated, Varric, but--”

“Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker?” Varric retorted, “Your soldiers aren’t in control anymore. You need me.”

Cassandra scowled further but conceded. “We should start moving.” She turned and began walking away. Varric gave a shrug to the elves and began following, and then they followed behind.

Now trailing in the back, the bald elf spoke to Paya, “My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I’m pleased to see you still live.”

Paya smiled softly before Varric called back, “He means, ‘I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.’”

She then looked back toward Solas. “I didn’t expect to find someone who knew what was going on around here,” she said.

“He is an apostate, like you,” Cassandra replied, keeping her gaze forward.

Solas looked ahead toward her, “Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra,” then he turned his head back toward Paya to explain further, “My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin.”

“And after this is all done, what do you plan to do?” she replied.

Solas turned his gaze ahead again, now watching where he was going properly, “My hope is that those in power will remember those who aided them.” He lifted his voice once more to speak with Cassandra, “Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen. This woman might be a mage but I find it difficult to imagine any mage holding this sort of power.”

“I understand,” Cassandra nodded.

Varric chuckled, “Well, if none of you are, Bianca’s excited!”

“You are Dalish, are you not?” Solas asked as they walked, “Clearly you are not with your clan. Were you sent here?”

“I believe I was. What of you? Are you familiar with the Dalish?”

Solas drew in a hesitant breath, thinking carefully over his words, “I have crossed paths with your people more than once.”

“It doesn’t sound like you had a very pleasant interaction,” she took note.

“There were times I meant to offer knowledge but I was instead attacked due to superstition.”

“I assure you that I wouldn’t allow a similar reaction if you were to visit mine,” she replied

He gave a soft chuckle, “I appreciate that.”

“Ah good, you’re getting along,” Varric commented.

As they continued on, the mark sparked again, and Paya hugged it to herself, biting her lip as she gave a painful groan.

“Shit, you okay?” Varric’s voice returned.

“I’ll be fine. I’m getting… used to it,” she grunted out

Solas observed her carefully, “I suggest we hurry, else that mark consumes you..”

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

As they approached the gate of another bridge, they found themselves being attacked by shades as another small rift opened up above their heads. 

The shades were dealt with and Paya threw her hand out forward. The mark erupted and a beam shot toward the rift, and after a few seconds, the rift was closed.

Cassandra called out to one of the guards that were watching the gate, “The rift is gone! Open the gate!”

Solas gave a smile to Paya as he followed Cassandra beyond the gate, “Well done.”

And then Varric commented, following Solas, “Whatever that thing on your hand is, it’s useful.”

Paya trailed after. They could hear the woman named Leliana bickering with a man, from what Paya could tell he wore one of the Chantry uniforms.

“You, Cassandra, the Most Holy — haven’t you all done enough already?!” the man barked at her.

Leliana replied angrily, “You’re not in command here!”

He shouted back, "Enough! I will not have it!” As Paya approached he moved his face to meet hers. “Ah, here she comes.”

Leliana turned toward them and her expression softened. “You made it!” she turned back toward the man, “Chancellor Roderick, this is--”

The man, Roderick, interrupted her, “I know who she is!” He ignored Paya’s presence and turned toward Cassandra, pointing at her, “As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal,” he gestured with a loose hand toward Paya, “to Val Royeaux to face execution!”

Cassandra glowered at him, “‘Order me?’ You’re nothing more than a glorified clerk!”

“And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!”

Leliana retorted, “We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, as you well know.”

Roderick barked again, “Justinia is dead! We must elect a replacement, and obey her orders on the matter!”

Paya chose now to interrupt, “I believe the Breach is a greater concern as of right now.”

He glared at her and replied, “You brought it here in the first place!” He resumed ignoring her and turned back toward Cassandra, “You must call a retreat, Seeker!”

“No. We can stop all of this before it’s too late,” Cassandra retorted.

“You won’t survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all of your soldiers!”

“We must get to the temple. This is the quickest route!”

Leliana intervened, “But not the safest. Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains.”

Cassandra shook her head, “No, it’s too risky. We lost an entire squadron on that path.”

Roderick attempted to crawl back into his conversation, “Listen to me! Abandon this now before more lives are lost!”

As they spoke, the mark on Paya’s palm pulsed once again and she bit her lower lip again. Cassandra turned toward her in concern, hearing the faint crackling the mark gave out. “How do you think we should proceed?” she asked.

Paya regained her breath and clutched the marked hand over her chest. “I think the mountain path will be the best idea. As… Leliana? As Leliana said that will be safer...”


	2. It Paints the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paya, Solas, Varric, and Cassandra make their way toward the major rift, hoping that closing it will slow the growth of the Breach...

The first section of the mountain pass consisted of an old, slippery flight of stairs and then a series of ladders and platforms. Things had been cold thus far but the mountain was even colder as the biting winds had full access to them. Thankfully, they were able to quickly find refuge when they reached the highest platform. They now faced a tunnel that had been carved through the mountain some centuries ago. 

They entered the tunnel cautiously. Trailing toward the back of the party, Solas traced his hand over a geometric spot of architecture. “What manner of tunnel is this? A mine?” he asked, directing his question mostly toward Cassandra, who replied.

“Part of an old mining complex. These mountains are full of such paths.”

“The missing soldiers in here somewhere?” Varric questioned.

“We shall see soon enough,” Cassandra replied again.

The structures within the tunnel were clearly man-made, perhaps with the aid of a dwarf at some point. Every so often, there were geometrically shaped pillars keeping the ceiling aloft. The floor was some sort of stone, the westward wall was exposed for mining purposes, and the eastward walls were plated with sheets of metal. Old crates and burlap sacks containing various mining equipment were pushed up against a few of the walls.

After walking further into the tunnel, three shades and a rage demon rose from the shadows. They immediately attacked the group. Being the only melee combatant in the party, Cassandra took the lead, slashing at the demons and keeping a one-woman wall between herself and the three ranged attackers. Varric delivered heavy blows with Bianca, his crossbow. Solas and Paya stood side by side, firing frozen energy at the Rage demon, cooling its blaze. All of the demons were dealt with in a quick fashion and the party was able to start moving again.

As they neared the exit, they found several human corpses lying on the floor--all bearing the same insignia that Cassandra wore on her chest. Varric let out a sigh, sounding all too familiar with these sights.

“Looks like we found the soldiers,” he said.

Cassandra scanned their faces, pacing around them and counting them. “This cannot be all of them,” she said as she began exiting the tunnel.

“So the others could be holed up somewhere ahead?”

Once outside, they could see a rift not much farther ahead. Solas spoke, “Our priority must be the breach. Unless we seal it soon, no one is safe.”

Varric chuckled and gestured toward Paya, “I’ll be leaving that up to our elven friend here.”

As they approached, they found a small group of soldiers fighting off more shades. Paya’s mark flared up, almost responding to the rift. She gave a look toward Cassandra before both women jumped into the fray, fighting alongside the soldiers. With only a short pause to register the situation, Varric and then Solas joined the battle. Once the shades were dealt with, Paya glanced toward her crackling palm before pointing its light toward the rift. The force of the beam that shot out had a decent amount of kick to it, but she remained firm in her stance. The rift blasted outward, causing Paya to jerk her shoulder back, but its particles dissipated and it was gone. One of the soldiers turned toward Cassandra, greeting her as “Lady Cassandra.” Cassandra moved around the soldiers, checking on their wellbeing and relieved to see them alive.

Solas stood beside Paya, still catching his breath from the combat, “Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this.” He had a soft smile on his face, and they both paused to just look at each other.

Varric interrupted the moment, almost as though it was intentional, “Let’s hope it works on the big one.”

Cassandra helped a soldier to her feet. She gripped Cassandra’s arms as she spoke, “Thank the Maker you finally arrived, Lady Cassandra,” she paused to look around at her saviors, “I don’t think we could have held out much longer.”

Cassandra gestured toward Paya, “Thank our prisoner, Lieutenant. She insisted we come this way.”

The lieutenant, confused, looked at Cassandra’s face and then Paya’s. “The prisoner? Then you…?”

Paya smiled, approaching. “It was worth it to be able to save someone.”

Cassandra gestured toward the way they had come. “The valley behind us is clear for the moment. You should go now while you can.” The Lieutenant thanked the group again and led the rest of the soldiers away.

The group continued onward, moving nearer to the remnants of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. They had a brief moment of reprieve as the area now seemed void of any obstacles.

“The Temple of Sacred Ashes,” Solas announced.

“What’s left of it, anyway,” Varric retorted.

They walked along the ruin. Paya moved her head around, trying to see if she could recognize any of the charred corpses. It seemed nothing remotely recognizable remained on their beings, however. They looked like the results of failed cremations, frozen in anguish.

The closer to the most central point they got, the more charred the ground appeared. And soon, they were surrounded by blackened earth and below them stood a large tower. The tower itself was within a crater, likely caused by the explosion that destroyed the Chantry, and thus was encircled by steep walls. Part of the crater had caved in and allowed for passage in and out of the crater. Above the tower was the Breach. It was much larger and looked even angrier up close and every so often it sparked with lightning. It was clouding out the light of the sun at this point, though giving off its own eerie, green, glow. A trail of large chunks of the building and other rubble were suspended in the air, seemingly frozen in motion while they were floating toward or falling from the Breach. All the sound from outside of the crater seemed muffled the closer they got to the Breach and the air smelled of a thunderstorm and everything dripped with magical energy.

Cassandra gestured toward the tower. About eighty feet off the ground was a rift that was larger than the rest they had come across. “That is where you walked out of the Fade and our soldiers found you. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was.” Paya looked toward her and only nodded in response.

Instead, Varric spoke, stating everyone’s observation “The Breach sure is a long way up.”

Like a shadow, Leliana appeared behind them, a few other soldiers approaching from further behind her. “You’ve made it. Thank the Maker.”

“Leliana, have your men take position around the tower,” Cassandra said. Leliana nodded and gestured for her soldiers to move. Cassandra then turned toward Paya. “We might be able to end this now. Are you ready?”

“I am but I’m not quite sure how I’m supposed to reach the Breach.”

Solas came to stand beside her, watching the rift. “No,” he gestured toward the rift, “That was the first rift. It’s our key. If we seal it, then perhaps we’ll seal the Breach with it.”

Cassandra nodded toward him. “Then we should find a way down there,” she began walking, “Be careful.”

The quartet plus Leliana traveled down the sides of the crater, finding a sort of natural path that they were able to walk down more easily. Every so often there were splashes of color against the black soot of the walls in the form of red, glowing, pieces of rock jutting out from the sides of the crater. Upon this observation, Varric spoke, “This stuff is red lyrium…” His tone was solemn if not concerned.

“Red lyrium..?” Paya asked softly.

Solas suggested, “Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple, corrupted it…”

Varric shook his head, “However it got here, it’s bad news. Whatever you do, don’t touch it.” He kept a wide berth from the red stone and moved a bit further ahead of the other three.

As they continued, they could hear the booming, male-sounding voice coming from the rift, “Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice.”

Paya’s eyes darted toward the rift, startled by this. “What is that?”

Solas rested a hand upon her shoulder in a steadying manner. “At a guess: the person who created the Breach.”

The booming voice continued, “Keep the sacrifice still!”

And then, as if responding, another voice came from the rift, this one sounding like an older woman, “Someone help me!”

Cassandra started to pick up her pace, “That is Divine Justinia’s voice!”

They approached a bit of a ledge that dropped down into the base of the crater. Cassandra jumped down first, craning her neck to look up at the rift. The rest jumped down as an image started to appear from the rift.

“What’s going on here?” A third voice, whose owner ran into the scene on the rift

“Run while you can! Warn them!” The Divine, who appeared to be restrained by some sort of magical means, responded to Paya’s

The first booming voice spoke angrily, his image still unseen, “We have an intruder. Kill her. Now!“

The vision faded and Cassandra turned toward Paya. She began spouting off questions at a rapid rate, “So you were there! Who attacked? And the Divine is she…? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?”

“I have no idea, I still don’t remember anything…” Paya replied.

Solas jumped into the conversation, “Echoes of what happened here. The fade bleeds into this place.”

Paya turned toward him, “That isn’t good news.”

He watched the rift for a moment longer. “This rift is not sealed, but it is closed… albeit temporarily,” he stopped and looked toward Paya, and then at her marked hand, “I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened, and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side.”

Cassandra gripped her sword and started to gesture to the soldiers nearby to approach. “That means demons. Stand ready!”

Paya stood beside Solas and glanced toward her hand for a moment before turning it toward the rift. Similar to how it behaved when she had closed the other rifts, a beam shot out toward the rift before it expanded outward. All stood with bated breath as they waited for the demons to emerge. And so they did.

There were a handful of Shades that spilled out but they were quickly joined by the towering form of a Pride demon--a large, horned being that wielded electricity and had a naturally strong defense.

Cassandra took the front, attacking the Pride demon first. Swift but heavy swings were made at its legs but it didn't create much of a dent. The demon lifted its hand toward her, getting its own sort of personal storm as electricity struck the ground around it.

Solas stepped closer to Paya before turning toward a Shade and encasing it with ice. "I believe that if you disrupt that rift, it will lower their defenses." He spoke quickly, spinning around her to jab the edge of his staff into another shade that approached from behind her. 

A bolt from Varric's crossbow shot through the shade, causing it to deteriorate into a material that looked like old rags. 

Paya looked between Solas, her hand, and the rift, before lifting the palm toward the rift like she'd done so many other times already. 

A shockwave burst from the rift that seemed to ignore the mortal individuals yet knocked the demons back. The lightning around the Pride demon ceased and Cassandra gave the call to go all out. The Shades fell but not before another small wave of them emerged from the rift. 

Combat went on for several minutes. The demons' defenses would gradually return and Paya found herself needing to disrupt the rift twice more. 

When the pride demon was finally felled, Cassandra called out to Paya, "Now! Seal the rift!"

Paya turned her palm to the rift and, like with all others, energy shot from her hand for a moment before the rift seemingly burst, tossing Paya's arm back. She stumbled backward before falling against Solas's chest.

Her vision blurred as adrenaline left her body. Solas felt her begin to go limp so he acted quickly to lift her off her feet. His timing was impeccable, as she was out as soon as he wrapped his arm around her back. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

_ She seemed so fragile now. He suspected as much, however. The removal of this rift was an abrupt closing of a wound and would've caused some shock to her system without having to fight demons.  _

_ The Seeker was surprisingly concerned over the Dalish elf's well-being. She immediately moved to escort him back to Haven so that the one he held could be cared for. She was no longer a villain, but instead a hero.  _

_ Word spread quickly as she slept. The people began calling her a Herald for the Maker's prophetess, Andraste. That would certainly be interesting news to wake up to.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter title came from "The Rockrose and the Thistle" (Amazing Devil, Horror and the Wild album)
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> Please let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> This chapter and all chapters after it will be named after lines from various songs by The Amazing Devil.
> 
> This chapter's title comes from _"Elsa's Song."_
> 
> Should I keep the song references down here or would you prefer them at the top?


End file.
